Cotton-chopping machine



4 Sheets-Shee t 1 A. M GREGER COTTON CHOPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15,1926' Nov. 8, 1927.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A M GREGER COTTON CHOPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1926i mm Zlwuemtoz 04' M Gre er.

Nov. 8, 1927.

Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,775 A. M GREGER I COTTON CHOPPING MACHINE Filed D80.15,' 1926 4 ShGBtS-SIIEBt 3 I 7 I 7? 3 w 95 9 I I It Nov. 8, 1927.1,648,775 I A; MCGREGER COTTON CHOPPING MACHINE 7 Filed Dec. 15, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 4 if lHa .4

PatentedNov. 8, 1927.

ea'renr QFFICE.

AAROH TaZoGEEGEl-e, F SPRIR :VILLE, MESSI'SSI'PPI.

COTTON CHOIPING MACHINE.

Application filed December 15, 1926. Serial 1%.. 155,006.

This invention relates to cotton choppers, andhas for one of obgects toprovide a machine of this character which shall include.

an arm mounted for reciprocation transversely of the machine, bladescarried by the arm and adapted to cut stands of cotton during themovement of the arm from and its return to" its initial position, meansfor actuating the arm, and means by which the initial position of thearm may be easily and quickly adjusted to and secured in the requiredposition with respect to the longitudinal center of the machine. 1

. A further object of the invention is to provide a. machine of thecharacter stated which shall include. means by which the arm may beeasily and quickly adjust-ed vertically with respect to the machine andsecured in adjust ed position so as to position the blades at therequired distance from the ground.

A further object of the intention is to provide a machine of thecharacter set forth wherein the actuating means shall be ad'- justableto permit the length of the stroke of the arm and blades to be varied asconditions require.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter set forth wherein the blades shall be connected to the arm ina manner to permit them to yield laterally on coming in contact with astump or rock so to prevent them from being broken or detached from thearm.

li ith the foregoing and other oliijccts inview, the nature of whichwill become ap- 'iarent as the description proceeds, the inventionconsists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cotton chopping machine constructedinaccordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on a vertical plane extendinglongitudinally and centrally through themachin-e,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on a horizontal plane extendinglongitudinally through the means for adjusting the blade carrymg armwith respect to the lUDfIItIKllnal center of themachine.

through the means for actuating the blade carrying arm,

Figure ,6 is vertical plane Figure 1,

Figure 7 is vertical plane Figure 6,

Figure 8 is vertical plane Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated bythe line 9-9 of Fig. 8,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the horizontal plane indicated bythe line 1010 of Figure 7, and I Figure 11 is a sectional view takenonthe verticalv plane indicated by the .line'11 11 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in the several views of which likereference char' acters denote like parts, 1 designates the groundwheels, 2 the axle and 3 the main frame of the machine. The wheels 1 area sectional view taken on the a sectional view taken on the indicated bythe line 7-7 of a sectional view taken on the indicated by the line 8--8of free of connection with the axle 2 whilerotating rearwardly, and areconnected to the aX-lewhile rotatingforwardly by ratchet wheels 4 andpawls of which the former are fixed to the axle and the latter to thewheels. The frame provided with bearings 6 for the axle 2, and isequipped with a pole 7, doubletree 8, singletrees 9, and a breast yoke,not shown. The ends of the doubl'etree 8 are connected to the frame 3 bychains A footboard or platfornill, upon which a. seat 12 is mounted, issecured to the downwardly offset rear end portion of the frame 3.

A yoke or hang-er 13, which is vertically disposed and extendstransversely of the frame 8, is mounted for vertical adjustment at thefront end of the frame in bearings 14,.

indicated by the line 6-6 of frame 3 between the axle 2 and platfo- 11111, and the standard 16 is provided. at its upper end with a rearwardlyextending notched sector 17. A lever 18 is fixed at one end to andextends forwardly from a shaft 19 which is ournaled in the standards 16and 16 adjacent their upper ends. The front end of the lever 18 isconnected to the yoke or hang-e 13 by a flexible member 20. Alever 21 isfixed at one end to and extends rearwardly from the shaft 19, and isprovided at its rear end with a handle 2 which is located adjacent theseat 12. The lever 18, shaft 19 and lever 21 provide means by which theoperator may easily and quickly adjust the yoke or hanger 13 upwardly ordownwardly with respect to the frame 3. The yokeor hanger 13 is securedin adjusted position by a spring pressed dog 23 which is carried by thelever 21 and engages-the notched sector 17. The dog 23 is under thecontrol of a. finger lever 2a which is carried by the lever 21 adjacentthe handle 22 and connected to the dog by a rod 25.

' An arm 26 is connected at its upper end to the yoke or hanger 13 forreciprocation with respect thereto in a plane extending transversely ofthe machine. The blades 27 are adapted to cut stands of cotton duringthe movement of the arm 26 from and its return to its initial position.The arm 26 is connected to the yoke or hanger 13 by a bolt 28 which issecured to the arm and a grooved roller 29 which is journaled on thebolt and supported by the guide rails or tracks 15 of the hanger. As thearm 26 is connected to the yoke or hanger 13 it may be verticallyadjusted to support the blades 27 at the required distance from theground. To permit the arm 26 to be adjusted vertically with respect tothe yoke or h anger 13, it is provided with a vertical row of boltreceiving screw threaded sockets 26.

The blades 27, which are located at opposite sides of the arm 26, arecarried by the head 30 of a stem 31 which is journaled in the arm formovement about a vertical axis. The arm 26 is provided with a socket forthe reception of'the stem 31 and with a recess 33 for the reception of alug 34- on a bar 35. The recess 33 intersects the socket 32 and opensout through the rear side of the arm 26. Lugs 36 are fixed to the stem31, and are positioned in the recess 33 in contact with the lug 34-. Abar 37 is fixed to the front side of the arm'26, and to gether with thebar is horizontally disposed and extends in opposite directions beyondthe arm. The bar is supported for movement toward and from the arm 26 bybolts 33 fixed to the bar 37, and is constantly urged in the directionof "the arm by springs 39 carried by the bolts. The blades 27 are thusyieldmgly supported in normal position with respect to the arm 26, anddue thereto will yield laterally on coming in contact with a stump orstone, with the result that they will not be broken or detached as theresult of such contact.

A carriage 4-0 is mounted forreciprocation transversely of the machineupon a guide rail or track ll which is carried by the frame 3. It isequipped with grooved rollers l2 which contact with the upper and lowersides of the guide rail or track l1, and is provided with a verticalgroove 43 for the reception of a wrist pin 4. L carried by a disk 45.The disk 15 is provided with a radial series of screw threaded sockets46 to permit the wrist pin 44; to be adjusted thereon with respect toits axis. The arm 26 is connected to the carriage 4-0 by guides l7 forinoven'ient therewith and for vertical adjustment with respect thereto,through the medium of the yoke or hanger 13. The disk 4:5 is fixed to ashaft 48 which is journaled in a bearing 49 supported for adjustmenttransversely of the machine. A guide rail or track 50 supports thebearing 49 and is carrier. by the frame 3. The rotation of the disk .25reciprocates the carriage 40 and with it the arm 26 transversely of themachine, and the movement of the carriage and arm may be varied toincrease or decrease the stroke of the blades 27 by adjusting the wristpin it Wltl'l-IQSPQCt to the axis of the disk 15. I

A power shaft 51 is journaled on the frame 3. and is driven fromthe axle2 by a chain 52 which passes about sprocket wheels 53 and 54 fixed tothe shaft and axle, respectively. A housing 55 is provided for the chain52 ant. sprocket wheels 53 and 54:.

A gear wheel 56 is slidably fixed to the shaft 51, and is provided withtwo rows of gear teeth 57 and 58 with one of which meshes a pinion 59fixed to a transmission shaft 60. The shaft 66 is connected to the shaft4-3 to elfect the rotation of the disk 45 while the machine is inforward motion. The shaft 60 is sectional, and the sections 61, 62 and63 thereof are connected by universal joints 6-1 so as to permit thebearing 4:9 to be adjusted when conditions require the changing of theinitial position of the arm 26 with respect to the longitudinal centerof the machine. The shaft section 62 consists of telescopicallyassociatedparts 62 and 62 to permit the effective length of the shaft 60to increase or decrease during the adjustment of the bearing 4-9 and topermit the endwise adjustment ofthe shaft section 61 so as to positionits pinion 59 in engagement with the teeth 57 or teeth 58 of the gearwheel 56 so as to vary the rate of rotation of the shaft 60 andconsequently the stroke of the blades 27. The shaft section 61 isrotatably and slidably mounted in a bearing 65 which is carried by theframe 3. A housing 66 for the gear wheel 56 and the i i i i ii.

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which posit-ion it meshes with the pinion 59,

by a spring 07, andthe movement of the gear wheel under the influenceofthe spring is limited by a shoulder ('38 on the shaft 51. hen it isdesired to move the pinion 59 from engagement with the teeth 57 intoengagement with the teeth 58 or fro-1n engagement with the teeth ,58into engagement with the teeth 57, so as to vary the stroke of theblades 27, the gear wheel 56 is first moved laterally out of engagementwith the pinion -9, the shaft 51 is then adjusted to 1 position thepinion 59 in alineinent with the desired teeth and locked in adjustedposition, and the gear wheel is thence released to permit it to be movedinto engagement with the pinion by the spring 67. The gear wheel 56 isunder the Control of a lever 09 pivoted at to the frame 8. A verticalshaft- 71 is journaled in the housing 66, for rotation about a vertical.axis and is provided at its lower end with a forwardly extending forkedcrank 72 which is engaged in a groove in the hub 73 of the gear wheel56. The-shaft 71 is provided at its upper endwith a laterally extendingcrank 74 to which the lever 69 is connected by a link-75. The lever 69isheld against casual movement by a spring pressed dog 7 6 which iscarried thereby and engages a notched sector 7 7fixed to the fra1ne8.The dog 76 is under the control of a finger lever 78 which is pivotedtothe lever 09 and connected to the dog by a rod 79. As the shaft 71 ismounted for rotation about avertical' axis, and as its cranks 7 2 and 7.1- are arranged in rig-ht angularly related planes, it will when turnedas the result of the forward rocking of the lever 69 swing its crank 72in a. direction to move the gear 56 out of engagement with the pinion 59against the tension of the s 'iri-ng (37. Vhen the lever 69 is rockedrearwardly, the shaft 71 will be turned in a direction to swing itscrank 72 in the opposite direction and thus permit the spring 67 to morethe gear 56 into engagement with the pinion 59. The shaft section 61 isadapted to be moved in an endwise direction to effect the engagen'ientof the pinion 59 with either the teeth 57 or teeth 58 of the gearwheel56 through the medium of a lever 80 which is pivoted as at 81 to thebearing 65. A collar 82 fixed to the shaft section 61, a casing 83surrounding and having a rotatable connection with the collar and shaftsection, and a link 8 1 connected as at 85 to the lever 80 and having aforked end connected as at 86 to the casing 83, connect the lever 80 tothe shaft 61. The lever 80 is secured against casual movement bya springpressed dog 87 which is carried thereby and engages a notched sector 88fixed to the bearing-65. The dog 87 is under the control of a fingerlever 89- carried by the lever 80 and connected to the dog by a rod 90.

The means for adjusting the carriage 40 and securing it in adjustedposition so as to vary the initial position of the arm 26 and blades 27with respect to the longitudinal center of the machine, comprises a rackbar 91 connected as at 92 to the bearing 49and slidably supported uponthe guide rail or track 50 by guides 93. A pinion 94 meshing with therack'bar 91, is fixed to a shaft 95 journaled in a bearing 96 carried bythe frame 3. A second pinion 97 is fixed to the shaft 95 and meshes withpinions 98 and-99. The pinion 98 is fixed to a shaft andthe pinion 99 toa shaft 101. The shaft 100 is journaled in the bearing 96 and in abearing 102 loosely connected to the axle 2, and consists of sectionsconnected by a universal ioint 103. The shaft 101 journaled in the ling96 and a bearin 104: loosely connocted to the axle 2, and consists ofsections connected by a universal joint 105'. The bearings 102 and 104iare maintained in rela ti vely spaced relation by a spring 106 mountedbetween them upon the axle 2. Gear wheels 107 and 108 are loose on theaxle 2 and mesh with pinions 109 and 110 fixed to the shafts 100 and101,respectively. Means for establishing a driving connection betweenthe gears 107 and the axle 2 when it is desired to adjust the bearing 19and the parts associated therewith to the left, is under the control ofa pedal 111, and means for "establishing a: driving connection betweenthe gear 109 and the axle 2 when it is desired to adjust the bearing andthe parts associated therewith to the right, is under the control of apedal 112. The adjustment of the bearing 19 varies the initial positionof the awn-26 and the blades 27 with respect. to the longitudinal centerof the ma chine.- The pedals 111 and 112 are pivoted to-the platform 1.1forwardly of the seat 12. These means are similar, and each comprises'adrum 1.13 fixed to each. of the gears 107 and' 108,,adisk 114; fixed tothe axle 2, a split band 115 pivoted as at 115 to the drum and normallyout of contact with the annular wall thereof, a link 116 pivotallyconnected to the free ends of the band, and a disk 117 to which the link11.6 is pivotally connected as at 116. The disks 117 are loose'ontheaxle 2, and are adapted to be held against movement, to effect theexpanding of the bands 115, and thus lock the gears 107 and 108 to theaxle 2, by means of the pedals 111 and 112, split bands 11'8'mounted invtheir grooved peripheries, I

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i the result that the gears 107 and 108 will be rotated by the axle 2.It will thus be seen that when the pedal 111 is depressed, the initialposition of the arm 26 and blades 27 will be shifted to the left, andthat when the pedal 112 is depressed the initial position of the arm andblades will be shifted to the right. When the pedals 111 and 112 areunder pressure, the driving connection between the axle 2 and gears 107and 108 is broken, and the initial position'of the arm 26 and blades 27will remain fixed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent lJO-lil'iOSG skilled in theart to which the invention ap 'iertains. \Vhilc I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the structurewhich I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to haveit understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theiiivention as claimed.

VJ hat is claimed is 1. A cotton chopping machine comprising a frame, anarm, blades carried by the arm, a carriage for supporting the arm andmounted on the frame for reciprocation transversely of the machine,means for actuating the carriage and mounted on the frame for adjustmenttransversely of the machine, and means for adjusting said first meansand securing it in adjusted position.

2. A cotton chopping machine comprising a frame, an arm, blades carriedby the arm, a carriage for supporting the arm and mounted on the framefor reciprocation transversely of the machine, means for actuating thecarriage and mounted on the frame for adjust ment transversely of themachine, and means for adjusting said first means transversely of theframe and securing it in adjusted position, said first means being alsoadjustable to permit the extent of the reciprocation of the carriage tobe varied.

3. A cotton chopping machine comprising a frame, a carriage mounted onthe frame for reciprocation transversely of the machine, an arm providedwith blades, means securing the arm to the carriage for movementtherewith and for vertical adjustment with re spect thereto, means foractuating the carriage and mounted on the frame for adjustmenttransversely of the machine, means for adjusting the carriage actuatingmeans and securing it in adjusted position, and means for adjusting thearm vertically with respect.

to the carriage.

4. A cotton chopping machine comprising a frame, a carriage mounted onthe frame for reciprocation transversely of the machine, means foractuating the carriage, an arm provided with blades, means securing thearm to the carriage for movement therewith and for adjustment verticallywith respect thereto, a hanger, means mounting the hanger on the framefor vertical adjustment, means for adjusting the hanger, and meansconnected to the arm and associated with the hanger for movement withrespect to theadjusting the bearing, a shaft journaled in the bearing,means for rotating the shaft, a carr age supported by the frame forreciprocation transversely of the machine, means establishing anoperative connection between the shaft and carriage, an arm associatedwith the carriage, and blades carried by the arm. 7

6. A cotton chopping machine comprising a wheel supported frame, abearing mounted on the frame for adjustment transversely thereof, a rackbar connected to the bearin a pinion meshing with the rack bar, meansfor turning the pinion in opposite directions for effecting theadjustment of the bearing,

a shaft journaled in the bearing, means for a rotating the shaft,acarriage mounted on the frame for movement transversely of the machine,means establishing an operative connection between the shaft andcarriage, an arm associated with the carriage, and blades carried by thearm.

7. A cotton chopping machine comprising wheels, an axle, a frame, abearing mounted on the frame for adjustment transversely of the machine,a rack bar connected to the bearing, a pinion meshing with the rack bar,

gears loose on the axle, shafts engaged'with the gears and connected tothe pinion, means by which a driving connection may be establishedbetween either of the gears and the axle to effectthe adjustment of thebearing,

a shaft journaled in, the bearing, a carriage mounted on the frame formovement transversely of the machine, means establishing an operativeconnection between the shaft and carriage, means for rotating the shaft,

an arm associated with the carriage, and

blades carried by the arm.

8. A cotton chopping machine comprising a .wheel supported frame, an armmovably mounted on the frame, means for operating the arm, a stemrotatably carried by the arm, blades carried by the stem, meansyieldingly holding the stem against rotation with respect to the arm,saidmeans comprising lugs carried by the stem, a bar with which the lugscontact, means movably connecting the bar to the arm, and means urgingthe bar in the direction of the lugs.

9. A cotton chopping machine comprising llo a wheel supported frame, anarm, means movably supporting the arm and mounted on the frame forreciprocation transversely of the machine blades carried by the arm, a 5bearing adjustably mounted on the frame, means for adjusting thebearing, a shaft jonrnaled in the bearing, means establishing a drivingconnection between the shaft and said first means, a flexible andextensible transmission shaft connected to the first named shaft, anddriving means for the transmission shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my. signature.

AARON MCGREGER.

